Mid-Season Report

Team MVP: OL Alan Faneca. In a move reminiscient of Carnell Lake moving from safety to corner for the good of the team, Faneca moved from his all-pro left guard position to play left tackle amidst a slew of Steelers injuries. He is the only thing that is holding together the thin offensive line.

Biggest Surprise: The special teams. After costing the Steelers a trip to the Super Bowl two years ago, the special teams has shown steady improvement. They have also contributed several big plays, including the fake FG against Cincinnati in week 3, and the 84 yard punt return against the Rams in week 8.

Biggest Disappointment: LB Jason Gildon. The whole team has been one giant dissappointment, but consider the fact that Gildon needed just three sacks this season to become the team's all-time sack leader, and he only has two thus far.

Runner-up: WR Plaxico Burress. I really thought Plex was going to have a breakout season, especially after those first two games, but he has done jack since then. I'm beginning to worry that Plex is one of those players who only excels when his team is winning and quits when his team is mired in a losing streak (see Moss, Randy or Faulk, Marshall).

The Jamain Stephens Award (for stupidity): The Fans. We actually pay good money to see this crap, then we talk about it all week, making us even more depressed.

The Kordell Stewart Award (most hated player): OT Todd Fordham. He may be the worst player in the 71 year history of the franchise.

Best Game: The week 1 win over Baltimore. Everything clicked, and the Steelers looked like a real contender. That seems like SOOOOO long ago now!

Worst Game: The week 4 loss to Tennessee. The Steelers had a 10-0 lead but threw it away by making stupid mistakes. They have yet to fully recover from that loss.

Best Play: Hines Ward's touchdown against Cincinnati in week 3. Ward willed his way into the endzone, showing why he is the favorite player of many Steelers fans (including me).

Worst Play: Darrell Jackson's catch and stiff arm on Dewayne Washington in week 9. It summed up Dewayne's career and the performance of the secondary the past two seasons all in one play.

Runner-up: Brent Alexander's dropped interception that would have prevented Denver from winning the game in the final seconds of week 6.

Most Out of Place Moment: When the Steelers celebrated their 1000th game in week 8, there were several taped congratulatory messages played on the scoreboard from such out of place celebrities as Sharon Osbourne and Toby Keith. But none was worse than P. Diddy, who went on a 5 minute rant about how he "loves all y'all" and how the Steelers are his "boys".

Most Discouraging Trend of the Year: Tommy Maddox's horrific and untimely interceptions in the Chiefs, Titans, and Browns games.

Worst Timing of the Year: Several times this season, the scoreboard operators at Heinz Field have played Dewayne Washington's "The Pittsburgh Steelers ax that you not throw objects onto the field" message immediately after Dewayne has gotten burnt for a touchdown. If they are doing this on purpose, it's pretty cruel.

Brilliant Quote of the Year: Browns DE Kenard Lang, on why he wore a Terry Bradshaw Steelers jersey to Heinz Field in week 5: "Everybody looked at me like, 'Whoa, what is he doing?' I'm crazy. I just don't care. I'm a very unusual person. I'm very unique. You know what I mean? I'm a rare breed. I tried to change our look, and we won the game." I don't know which is more absurd - the fact that Lang thinks he is some kind of wild man for wearing the other team's jersey, or the fact that he thinks it helped them win.

Trash Talker of the Year: Terry Bradshaw interviewed Chuck Noll on the field before the week 8 home game. When Bradshaw asked if Noll would like to go back in time and suit up all his players to take on the Oakland Raiders, he said, "No, that would be too easy". Chuck Noll talking smack - that is priceless!

Shocker of the Year: Joey Porter defied death twice in the span of a week. First, he escaped a Colorado shooting with nothing more than a minor injury to his rear end. Then after the week 1 game against Baltimore, he got into an argument with The Murderer and escaped unharmed.

Sarcastic Shocker of the Year: The Steelers defensive backs were repeatedly burned for long plays.

Something Different: Opening day win; halway decent special teams; playing the Rams, Seahawks, and Broncos